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I didn’t read Victoria Roth’s Divergent trilogy. I have this thing about reading popular books. I don’t like to read them until the hype dies down. Also, my time is so limited these days that any spare time I have I try to work on my own writing. It’s unfortunate because reading is my guilty pleasure. There’s nothing more I love than curling up with a good book. But when I read, I feel guilty because that time is time I could be using to finish my own work. I’ve made a deal with myself: in between writing I take a few months to read everything I stacked up on my nightstand (see what I did there?) – decompress from my own mind if you will, and then start on my work after I’ve had a chance to truly step away from the world I’ve created and been working in and start fresh again.

So… in a few months I will get to it, in addition to about twenty other books I am foaming at the mouth to read. However, like Hunger Games (I know, I heard your audible gasp, didn’t get to read that either) I will read after seeing the films and while part of me worries the film will influence the images and characters of the book, I know my mind and know that I am pretty good at letting it make up its own mind and not be driven by whatever images the film drove.

I saw Divergent last night and liked it. I thought it was a pretty high quality film, like Hunger Games, and not at all like Summit’s Twilight films. (Those vampire weaves, come on!) Also, I really love Shailene Woodley — I think she’s a pretty talented young actress — and I like Theo James. He’s different from some of those actors out there right now. Of course he was also in Underworld Awakening, one of my favorite movie franchises ever, so well, I am a little biased. Kate Winslet’s performance was a bit underwhelming. She is capable of so much more, so part of me wonders if she was in the film because her daughter asked her to be, like Glenn Close did when she took the role of Cruella Deville for Disney’s 101 Dalmatians? Is her daughter that old? I don’t know. It’s a theory so don’t hold me to it and frankly, I don’t have the time to look up whether or not she has a daughter (can’t remember at the moment) and if so, her age. It was nice to see Ashley Judd and Tony Goldwyn. AND…a strange twist (or maybe purposeful), Shailene’s co-star from The Spectacular Now (which was underwhelming, I will admit) Miles Teller, as well as her co-star from The Fault in our Stars, Ansel Elgort. Is it really just a small world, or does Shailene have incredible pull with her film’s casting directors in getting her friends jobs?

I thought the movie also did a great job bringing to life Roth’s dystopian Chicago. Dystopian novels bother me a bit because of their settings, but I like to see how director’s bring them to life on the screen and make them a bit raw and sexy (is it ok to say that?) and not creepy and morose. And well yeah, I will admit, love Tris and Four. I am a sucker for YA/fan fiction couples. But doesn’t everyone? Isn’t that why these books are so popular?

Perhaps my favorite part of the film was 1) the painless tattoo Shailene’s character Tris gets. No wonder everyone in Dauntless is tatted up. If it was a sticker like approach now, I’d be in that chair, stat! And 2) the presence of more than one Ellie Goulding song in the film. Two of my favorite Ellie songs are featured in Divergent: one, “My Blood”, featured in the film, and two, “Beating Heart,” which is featured on the credits. I am obsessed with the latter, but don’t be fooled. Was totally obsessed by the former when it first came out, too. I love Ellie’s music. Totally, and completely. Nothing she does bothers me. I could listen to her all day. Which is why it was a pleasant surprise to also hear her cover of Active Child’s “Hanging On.” Including all three below because her voice is stunning.

“Beating Heart”

“My Blood”

“Hanging On”

Divergent was delicious and I am anxious to see the second film. Who knows, maybe I will read the trilogy before the second film comes out. I should be finished with my second novel by that time (shit, I hope so!) and have some trips planned in the coming months. Maybe my mind could use a nice deep dive into Roth’s dystopian’s world.

In more words, it is everything about a fairy tale origin story I want. Unlike that tragic Snow White and the Huntsman featuring she who can’t act to save her life, Kristen Stewart.

Much has been said over the years about Maleficent, the antagonist in Disney’s adaptation of the classic fairy tale, “Sleeping Beauty.” Her voice, her walk, her crow, her dragon…she is the evil character we love to hate because in a word, she is fabulous. That’s why when rumors started swirling a few years back that Jolie was set to bring the deliciously wicked character to the big screen I, like others, got excited. If anyone could bring to life the character epitomized by the late actress Eleanor Audley, it would be Jolie.

And bring her to life she did.

Jolie’s performance was exactly as you would think; her voice eerie, not as commanding as Aduley’s, but unique in its own right, befitting of her Maleficent. Jolie’s Maleficent is strong and regal and wicked and endearing and just perfect! Her statuesque presence, dazzling eyes (emphasized by special effects of course, but no less gorgeous), power and grace, not to mention moments of frailty – yes frailty – has you actually rooting for her. Rooting for her…the evil fairy! And if you’re wondering if that is a typo …it’s not. You read it right. Maleficent, in this story, is a fairy. Without giving away too much, that was a new twist on the tale. And overall, I absolutely loved what the writer’s did with Maleficent’s origin story. Without giving away any spoilers, love is the key to both the damnation and salvation of both Maleficent and Princess Aurora – but in a surprising twist from what we’ve been told all these years.

Let’s face it, I am a sucker for love stories. And when love is the background behind the twisting evil of some of movie’s most villainous foes – think Wicked Witch of the East, Darth Vader, Hannibal Lecter – it brings me to my knees. Who wasn’t touched by the story of Elphaba? Whose heart wasn’t shattered when Anakin thought his wife and unborn children were lost? Who didn’t mourn for the family of Hannibal Lecter? (Before you think me weird, if you’ve not seen Hannibal Rising rent it, now. It will give you a whole new level of …understanding, dare I say, for the epitome of evil characters, Hannibal.) You understand these characters better, and the heart of their plight. You may not agree with their approach to dealing with their grief, but you get it and a part of you supports their quest for vindication. (Except for the whole eating people thing in Lecter…that is still horrifying.) This is what I loved about Maleficent. All these years, finally, we understand her wickedness and guess what, if you’re like me, you understand and emphasize with it.

I wasn’t too impressed with Elle Fanning’s performance, but then again, I’ve never been a fan of Princess Aurora. Of all the princesses, she always bugged me. Not sure why. Her father, King Stefan, has an interesting background in this adaptation, and is at the heart of Maleficent’s curse. He is actually pretty annoying in the movie, bordering on dirty dirt bag material.

These two things aside, Jolie’s costumes were gorgeous, the look and feel of the film kept it very close to the beloved Disney classic, and the ending credits even featured one of my favorite voices, Lana Del Ray, covering the classic “Once Upon a Dream,” featured in the 1959 animated film. I love this song. I sang it to my son every night at bedtime when he was a baby, and he still smiles when he hears it to this day.

I will be buying the film when it comes to DVD, as we have with every version of the Disney classic that has come to VHS and DVD. What can I say, it’s a bit of a favorite. And now the origin story is, too.

Classical music has been a part of my life for a long, long time. The first piece I fell in love with was “A Theme From A Summer Place” by Percy Faith Orchestra. My mom had the 45. She skated to it as a teen and would listen to it when cleaning the house when I was little. I loved the sound, it seemed to tell a story through whimsical strings and cheerful flutes.

Next for me was the film score.

I love film scores. As much as I love soundtracks. And there have been many to land a place in my heart over the years. Among some of my most favorite, those by the masterful John Barry. John Williams and Hans Zimmer are incredible, but something about Barry’s music connects with me. It reaches into my soul and wraps around my heart.

What are some of my favorites you ask? Well…

“Peggy Sue Got Married” – I literally can not listen to this piece without tearing up. I just can’t. I loved this movie so much. It would be years before Nicholas Cage got all weird on us, but I will always love him for being Charlie in this incredible movie by his uncle Francis Ford Coppola about a woman who passes out at her high 25 year high school reunion, only to wake up in her senior year and either make the same choice twice, which included marrying her high school sweetheart to whom she is in the middle of divorcing, or set out on a new fate. The hairs on my arms stand up at the 1:39 mark and whenever I hear this I see Peggy Sue (played by Kathleen Turner) entering her childhood bedroom, surrounded by innocence and a connection to a life she seems to have lost over the past 25 years. The emotion that fills her as her sister Nancy enters the room (played by Coppola’s daughter Sophia, long before she would give us The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette) is palpable and a lump forms in my throat every. single. time.

“Out of Africa” – one of the first real love stories I remember seeing. My mom was obsessed with it. Robert Redford is in it, so well yeah, even I can understand her appeal to the film. But it wasn’t until years later that I sat down to watch it with a more mature look on life, that I really understood the story. It is absolutely beautiful and the incredible Meryl Streep does an amazing job as the Danish baroness/plantation owner that has a passionate love affair with a free-spirited big-game hunter played by Robert Redford. It is an incredibly moving film, set against the breathtaking beauty of Kenya. Barry’s score captures the love kindled between the two, and the magnificent beauty of Africa. Listen and you tell me if you get goosebumps at the 1:10 mark.

“Dances with Wolves” – I have always had a deep fascination with the Native American people. When my sister and I were little, we’d ride in local parades as cowboys and Indians. Once we rode together, she was the cowgirl of the Wild West and me the young Indian girl. She rode her Paint horse and I our Palomino. Yes, the horse is called a Paint. Look it up. I wore moccasins and yes I even wore a feather in my hair. I will spare you the picture, but it was really fun and such a great memory. In high school our mascot was a Redskin. I was in sports. I was an avid supporter of our school pride. We beat the tribal drum during homecoming week 24/7, taking rotations through the day and night. I never felt a sense of shame for the gorgeous embroidery of the Native American Chief on the back of my letter-man’s jacket or when we painted our faces in “war paint” when supporting the team on Friday nights. Of course I understand now those activities are more insulting than prideful, but at the heart of it all was a curiosity of a people who as years go by, seem to be more and more forgotten. It would be years later that my fascination turned into real pride when I married someone whose father was Native American, born on Cherokee Nation. My son carries Cherokee blood and it has become a passion of mine to find out as much as I can about his ancestors so that he can teach his children and they theirs, so the Native American people are never forgotten.

There are few movies about Native Americans that I can stomach but one that I really did love was “Dances With Wolves.” I had a huge crush on Kevin Costner at the time so it didn’t hurt that he was in it. But, I must have listened to that score a thousand times over the years. It is so beautiful and moving and I can’t help but see the Great Plains and scores of buffalo roaming its hills when I hear it.

“Indecent Proposal” – you know the movie. Diana (played by Demi Moore) is paid a million dollars to spend the night with billionaire John Gage (played by Robert Redford). Diana and her husband David (played by Woody Harrelson) need the money to save their half finished dream home from being foreclosed on by the bank and so they think, big deal, it’s one night. But well, everything unravels and turns to shit and its a crazy concept that was at the heart of one of my most favorite movies of that decade and even today, when I hear this piece from the score, I can see David losing his mind, trying to get to Diana in time to tell her the deal is off….just in time to see her depart with Gage.

Have I ever told you I loved you?

No.

I do.

Still?

Always.

Sigh…..

And now well, these days I also love opera. And that took years to appreciate. But that’s a post for another day. For now, enjoy this trip down memory lane, compliments of movies from the 80s and 90s.

I loved the TV show Veronica Mars. Love, love, loved it. It was only on for three years (2004-2007) but during those three years I watched religiously. Whenever the show’s opening credits rolled, accompanied by the Dandy Warhol’s “We Used to Be Friends,” I’d get excited. It would be a few years before I would be bitten by the Twilight bug, but even then I had chosen a team for our female hero’s paramour, and that was Team Logan. I loved Veronica and Logan together because they were the quintessential couple that shouldn’t be: he, a cool but dysfunctional guy, thanks to his movie star turned killer father. She, the school pariah thanks to her father, the former Sherriff, having been set up by dirty cops sending his reputation and hers, into the garbage. It was everything about YA drama that I love: hate you/love you story lines.

When I learned last year a movie was in the works after years of outcry from fans to bring back the hip, tech savvy Nancy Drew of Neptune High, I was stoked. Yes, you read that, stoked. It had been six years since the show ended and a lot of us in the VM fan universe had not been satisfied by the way the series ended: an incomplete story line and unsolved love triangle. For years the rumor mill swirled around a possible show reprisal, followed by desperate hope for a made for TV movie. Something, anything, that would bring back Veronica, and Logan, and everyone else that made the show enjoyable, to give us just one last look in the seedy, lavish, often crime ridden world of Neptune, California.

While many of the shows stars and producers had expressed interest in doing a VM movie over the years, words are hardly enough to get a movie made. So when producer Rob Thomas put up a Kickstarter page to solicit donations, fans flocked to the site (including myself) donating whatever they could. Thomas’ $2 million goal was reached within hours, and by the end of the campaign, a record breaking $6 million had been raised proving fans would do just about anything to get a Veronica Mars movie made. I’m glad sites like Kickstarter exist. It gives projects that may not otherwise see the light of day, a chance to be made. Which is exactly what had been the case with VM.

I saw the movie on Saturday night. Thanks to a limited theater release, the movie also premiered on PPV, so I got to enjoy it from the comfort of my own couch. It would have been fun to see on the big screen, but I am glad I got to curl up with my favorite blanket and save a few bucks. While I loved seeing everyone again, it did feel a bit like a made for TV movie, and truth be told, would have been a bit bummed to have spent $12.50 on a ticket. However, I do respect what they were able to do on their limited budget and like that the movie answered some of the basic questions that many fans had been asking since the show ended, including the biggest: would Logan and Veronica ever get back together?

Sounds like reviews have been somewhat favorable. I don’t know if it was big enough of a hit to spawn a sequel or two, but it was nice to close the book on a show that was such a part of my 29 year old heart in what I felt was a pretty satisfactory way. Could it have been better? Sure. But for $6M they did good. The chemistry was still there with Veronica and Logan, however admittedly, he was less Wily and she while still snarky, a bit more serious than catty. Maybe it was the story line – he being accused of murder and she back to dealing with some of the same a-holes that made her life miserable as a teen. But even during the show’s run, the snark combated any drama that came their way. I did love Veronica had a chance to have her own slice of redemption against the popular girl that made her life hell back in high school. (No spoilers!) All I will say without going into details, is that every girl dreams of that moment, no matter how far they have come or cool their life is now. So from the mentions that were a flashback to the show (“our story is epic“) to the song’s end credits (the show’s opening credits music back in the day), it was a nice walk down memory lane.

I didn’t get a chance to see The Great Gatsby when it hit theaters this past spring. I was anxious to see it. I really love Baz Luhrman’s work. It’s over the top and visually stimulating, and always good about pin-pointing a period of time with a subtle weave of modern day accessibility via score and soundtrack. Also, I am a huge F. Scott Fitzgerald fan. A few of the story nuances may have gotten tangled in that cobweb filled, lit-obsessed mind of mine, but the story is synonymous with everything I love about his work: the decadence, idealism, and excess of the Jazz Age, coupled alongside impractical and incredibly tender and eloquent stories of youth and love that is often suffocated and tainted by the greed filled society that surrounds them. (Phew, wish I could have summed up my words like THAT in college).

I will admit, I wasn’t a fan of the 1974 film starring Robert Redford. The man is gorgeous, of course. I mean, stunning in the way J. Gatsby should be. But the film always failed to bring out the opulence of the Jazz Age, and Mia Farrow’s Daisy Buchanan always appeared dingy and flighty, not self centered or narcissistic in the way those of us who have a love/hate relationship with Fitzgerald’s Daisy imagine her to be. Check out the original trailer below, you will see what I mean.

Stark contrast to the high energy, totally stunning, reel you in trailer from Luhrman:

Farrow’s Daisy also wasn’t nearly as stunning as Carey Mulligan’s Daisy. I know movies have changed a lot in the past 35 years, so maybe some of the look in feel of the film and its characters were transformed in a way now, that they couldn’t be, then. But Farrow’s Daisy was always off and that ruins a movie for me…when you can’t love/hate the character the same way on the screen as you do in the book because of bad casting. (You hear me Kristen Stewart??)

People can say what they want about Leo DiCaprio, but I happen to like the actor. I think he has gotten unfairly overlooked by the Academy over the years. Some of his films have been incredible – Blood Diamond and Inception to name a few. But I feel like no one has ever really given him a fair chance since Titanic. To this I have to say come on! You gave Kate Winslet a chance to move past the film, people really should let Leo move on, too. And he didn’t look too bad. His “old sport” was a bit irritating, but they were in the book as well. There is actually a point in the movie where I am so in love with the both of them (Caprio’s Gatsy and Mulligan’s Daisy), they look that good together, that I almost forget Daisy is a self obsessed snob and he, nothing but a bootlegger.

Luhrman was careful not to forget to focus on the exquisite writing of Fitzgerald using key moments in the film to underscore the brilliance of his work by bringing the words to life on screen, including my favorite line from the book, uttered by Nick Carraway: “I was both within and without.” Poetic. Every time I read the story it gets me. Every. Single. Time.

Last but not least, I want to say a hearty well done to Jay Z for his work on the soundtrack – an effort he brought to life through collaborations with many amazing, talented artists that I happen to love including Lana Del Ray, Florence + the Machine, The xx, and Nero, to name a few. Who cares what this rambling review from the Village Voice says. It’s fabulous and I am only sorry it took me four months to discover it. I love it that much. Don’t trust me? Check out the following tracks: Lana Del Ray’s “Young and Beautiful,” Florence + the Machine’s “Over the Love,” The xx’s “Together,” Gotye’s “Hearts A Mess,” and Nero’s “Into the Past.” Of course Jack White’s cover of U2’s “Love is Blindness” — as heard in the soundtrack — is incredible. But I would have loved to have heard the two collaborate on that.

I’m not a huge Tobey Macguire fan, but he plays a pretty good clueless Nick Carraway and Isla Fisher has little screen time as Myrtle. Joel Edgerton is a solid Tom Buchanan. I really liked him in The Odd Life of Timothy Green . He’s an actor I am going to pay a bit more attention to in the future.

All in all a film I really, really, really enjoyed and the beautiful architecture of the Jazz Age captured brilliantly in the films many, many, many marketing pieces such as the cast photo below.

If you’re looking for a cool movie, something that’s different from all the usually tired stuff that’s out there, check out Trance. It’s on PPV this month and it’s in one word, fabulous. I rank it up there with movies I was pleasantly surprised by and can never shake. Movies like Drive, Lucky Number Slevin and Wanted. Funny I should mention that last one, Scotland’s own James McAvoy (of Wanted) is one of the stars of Trance, along with Vincent Cassel (that skeevy instructor from Black Swan and criminal mastermind from Derailed) and Rosario Dawson.

Not sure if it was widely released in the US (the British psychological thriller film was directed by Danny Boyle and released in 2013). But I wish it was because I want more people to see it. In short, the movie is about “an art auctioneer who has become mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.” (Thank God for IMDB because I couldn’t summarize it in less than a paragraph).

It’s a really, really, really great movie. The plot is pretty twisted and soundtrack pretty divine. Including this great tune from Emeli Sandé & Rick Smith, “Here It Comes” heard at the end.

Enjoy and trust me, if you’re looking for a rental suggestion this weekend I give Trance an enthusiastic two thumbs up.

You know the story. Delayed with my blog reviews, life is busy…yadda yadda yadda. Instead of excuses or in-depth analysis of dozens of recent movies I’ve seen, I am going to try something different. A movie review mashup: taking two of the same flicks (kinda sorta) and reviewing in same piece.

Bear with me. It’s not perfect. But it’s what I got. So, if you like it, give me a shout out. If you don’t well, read another one of my posts. I am sure I have something you like. 😉

Man of Steel

As a die hard superhero fan it may come as a surprise that Superman is not my favorite superhero (this would be Huntress and Hawk Girl as I’ve said on more than one occasion). Sorry, I just never joined the forces of Underoos wearing boys my age to jump on the Superman bandwagon. I never understood how a green rock from his home planet could reduce a man with the strength of steel to mush. Also, I could never understand how that annoying reporter Lois Lane couldn’t tell that Clark Kent was really just Superman wearing glasses. Really – the glasses were THAT big of a disguise Lois? Get real. But slowly I began to understand the power that small things can wield on a person (read: Jimmy Choos) and well, I guess you can say I get the Kryptonite thing. I may want to poke holes in that part of his story, but that doesn’t stop me from getting it.

However, as one of the most iconic of superheroes I always understood the power of the man and well, there you go, I am part of the masses who were waiting with baited breath when the first teaser trailers for Man of Steel began trickling out last year. And when the movie hit theaters in July I, along with millions of men who heralded him as their childhood hero (wouldn’t be surprised if under their pants were an adult size pair of red tightie whites trying to be as Underoos), waited in line to be one of the first to check it out.

Net net: I loved it. The origin story was well thought out and went way beyond the story of the strong man in the cape and red tights, in a way that not even the comic books (yeah, you heard me right) have done. The writers took some liberties with the story of planet Krypton and what led to its destruction, and overall, I think they did the story incredible justice.

Russell Crowe did an amazing job for the little time he was on screen as Jor-El, and Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as the Smallville couple to raise Superman, were surprisingly touching. There was an emotion in the film that was always within reach, beautifully anchored by Lane’s simple, yet honest portrayal of a mother who at the end of day, only wanted her son’s safety and happiness, despite his destiny. This realness, along with the dark theme of the movie’s main character questioning his role in a world he doesn’t quiet understand, kept the movie grounded in a way the previous reboot (read Brandon Roth failure) could not. And while I will admit, Henry Cavill could have been better on the acting side, he could not have looked better. The man was/is stunning. I mean my, God. (I’m only red blooded, give me a break).

I will say one annoyance in the film was Amy Adams’ Lois Lane. I used to like her but ever since Julie & Julia she just, oh I don’t know, bugs me. She had a cute outfit or two, though. So I guess it wasn’t a complete failure for her. But in general, the character of Lois Lane has always bugged me, even where crazy ass Margo Kidder played her. So well, that’s all I have to say about that.

Overall, I have to give two thumbs up to Man of Steel and I can’t wait until the next one. As a special nod to the score, which helped pull at my heart strings in just the right way at just the right moments, I’ve incluced a sample of Hans Zimmer’s insanely beautiful score for your listening pleasure. Also, I’ve included the ethereal “Elegy” by Lisa Gerrard & Patrick Cassidy, which was featured in the films’ trailers and can be heard subtly in Zimmer’s score.

Kick Ass 2

Time to change the tempo and talk less about ass kicking Superman and more Kick Ass 2.

I loved the first Kick Ass. The action/comedy/crime/superhero flick was totally unexpected one random night when I rented a few years back. It had me on the edge of my seat the minute its off beat story began. When I heard plans for a sequel were in the works I was stoked. Yeah, I said it, stoked. And when trailers began leaking earlier this year, I was more than anxious.

If you haven’t seen the first Kick Ass, it is paraphrased (according to IMDB) as such: “the adventures of an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a super-hero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so.” The movie was surprisingly good with decent acting from the always divine Mark Strong and used to be divine but now weird, Nicholas Cage.

At the end of the first flick it wasn’t clear whether or not there would be a sequel and when the release date was set, chatter started reaching fever pitch in online fan circles. There was even a lot of talk around Kick Ass 2 at this year’s Comic Con. Fans wondered if writers could recreate the magic created in the first movie, something the film’s stars addressed in a panel with the movie’s writer/producer.

Well, I saw Kick Ass 2 last weekend and thankfully, it was incredible. It was as dark/funny/action packed and off beat as the first movie, and to my surprise moved the story along in a way that was a nice progression from the first film and even brought out a new level of maturity in the movie’s main characters, portrayed by Aaron Taylor Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

From what I hear there are plans for a third and final installment in the franchise in another year or two. No formal announcement has been made announcing its green light, but I suspect it will only be a matter of time it is doing that well at the box office. But until then, I am definitely going to add this to my collection when the DVD is available just so I can hear zingers from 15 year old Hit Girl, including my favorite: “Act like a bitch, get hit like a bitch.”

I don’t think Superman would call anyone a bitch, but well, since both films are superhero driven, include angst in different ways, and show impressive kick ass action, they are the subject of my first movie mashup. Pair the gorgeous Elegy (above) with the theme song from The Banana Splits (i.e. “The Tra La La La Song” best heard in the first Kick Ass when pre-teen Hit Girl is eliminating a room full of gangsters and dealers, and well, there you go. Mashup!